


Fall

by lady_summoner



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:14:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23868088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lady_summoner/pseuds/lady_summoner
Summary: A look at Estinien’s rescue of the WoL at Ghmlyt Dark.
Relationships: Aymeric de Borel & Warrior of Light, Estinien Wrymblood & Warrior of Light
Kudos: 19





	Fall

**Author's Note:**

> (I also theorize there’s the random odd dragon or two that decided to team up with a dragoon who ended to the front lines with Ishgard’s contingent of the Grand Alliance.)

\--------------

In war, everything could change in a heartbeat. Battles oftentimes were not won by tactics or clever planning. Sometimes it was sheer dumb luck or the smallest, most insignificant action.

Sometimes, it was just everything going to the seven hells.

_Too far, too far, too bloody fucking far-!_

The Warrior of Light had taken to the field, racing for the area of the front where Zenos had decided to engage.

_Fasterfasterfaster-_

Lord Hein of Doma was down, as was Lyse Hext of the Resistance.

_FASTER-_

One moment she and Zenos had been facing each other. The next moment—aether and steel had begun to clash.

_Halone if you ever heard any of my fucking prayers-!_

Somehow, somehow, she was holding her own. Not that it surprised Estinien—he hadn’t expected anything less. The Warrior of Light had fallen only once to that fiend, the Azure Dragoon knew that she wouldn’t do so again. But something had made Estinien fight his way from the back towards the front lines. Hiding be damned, he would deal with Aymeric later, he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. The same feeling he’d had in the Reactor, all those moons past—as the Warrior of Light had fought the Archbishop. 

His arrival had greeted him with a triumphant sight. The Warrior of Light, standing high and proud over the prone corpse of Zenos. Her Ifrit-egi roared in triumph before vanishing. Estinien heard the Alliance’s forces scream in joy. But the celebration was short lived, for suddenly, the corpse lifted itself back up—and the elezen found himself staring in horror. How in the _**hells**_ did the Garlean still _live?_

And then time seemed to slow down. Zenos shoving the Warrior back-but she stayed on her feet. Once again, she charged him-aether roaring into life around her, grimoire in hand. But suddenly, she stumbled. Estinien watched as she fell to her knees—that was alright, everyone fell, they got back up…

But the Warrior of Light didn’t.

And the bad feeling that had been lurking in his belly-it _exploded_ upward. Uncaring now for whoever was in his way-Alliance, Garlean, machina, aetherical construct—Estinien was now a blue of azure and gold, racing towards that one point, that open spot of battlefield. Time seemed to slow down-

_Halone, please!_

She wasn’t getting back up, she wasn’t _getting back up_ , and that monster, that thing-gods, it was in _**front**_ of her now—

The world narrowed around Estinien. His heartbeat was roaring in his ears, his breathing raspy. The Warrior of Light still kneeling, her body swaying-Zenos looming over her, katana lifting into the air, a ribbon of blood…

Then he felt it. Something soft-made of cloth-smaller than him— Estinien wrapped his arms around the Warrior of Light’s chest—just as the wind from the Ame-no-Habakiri gusted over his back. The two rolled over and over—Estinien using his body to shield the hyuran woman from as much damage as he could. They came to a stop at the edge of the arena, and the dragoon pushed himself to his feet. He wanted to stop, wanted to check-but there wasn’t any time-- Zenos had turned around. Gripping the Warrior of Light close, Estinien vaulted back into the air. 

*******

Aymeric de Borel had already been moving the moment he’d seen the familiar azure and gold armored form. Like Estinien, he’d also been charging towards the front, where she was. But as he’d seen Estinien start to fly—as the Warrior fell and didn’t get back up, the Lord High Commander knew what his friend was going to do. More than that, he knew what would be needed. 

“Lucia!” He roared. “Get one of the dragoon-pairs!” Ishgard’s dragoons had come to the front. Well, the ones that could be spared, of course. And among them, had been several dragoons who were now partners with dragons. All experimental of course, the Order was still trying to feel itself out in this new age but right now, that wasn’t important. Over the linkpearl he heard Lucia bellowing orders, he saw soldiers of the Grand Alliance break and reform into a tight circle, just as something dropped out of the sky to land in the center. Aymeric pushed through the ring, hurling sword and shield away. Estinien had placed his precious cargo down, stepping back as Aymeric dropped on his knees next to the white and blue clad form.

_Halone please, no no no-!_ Reaching out, Aymeric seized one of the summoner’s limp wrists. Relief made him weak as he felt a pulse, but then he realized the Warrior of Light’s skin was ice cold. As he made to look at Estinien to demand answers, the dragoon was already propelling himself back into the air. Behind Aymeric, Lucia came racing over.

“Ser! We have a unit ready to take her to the healers!” The ground shook-not from explosions, but from the hard landing of a dragon. Now it was Aymeric’s turn to carry the Warrior of Light-his heart sinking as her body lolled in his arms like a limp doll. The hyuran woman’s skin was pale, her breathing soundless. Were it not for the pulse that he’d felt, Aymeric would have thought he was carrying a dead body…though he feared at any time, it could become fact.


End file.
